Your Personal Color Theory

Let’s Talk Color

Hello Rosebud,

All right, so you want that red accent wall.

I am an interior designer who will look at the emotional and psychological benefits of an element before incorporating it into your environment. You want to feel a sense of PEACE and flow throughout your space. Your home should be a sanctuary. Your goal is to get rid of the stress and anxiety that is outside your door.

So, before you think about how powerful and sexy and vibrant the color red is, let’s truly dive into what the color red might mean for you, individually, as a person.

Close Your Eyes And Imagine

The First Red Object You Can Think Of

What is that object? If it’s an apple, you are in trouble because red is associated with food for you. That's a fully reasonable association if you are American because most of our restaurants use colors like yellow, red, and blue to signify that they are a restaurant before you even see the name of the establishment.

If you imagined a pair of red shoes then perhaps red gives you an incentive to spend money. Is that OK with you?

If you saw a red car, does that mean you enjoy travel? Does it mean you hate it when people cut you off in traffic?

Did you see a red sweater?

Did you see a red flower?

Did you see a red nebula?

What do any of those particular items mean to you historically and emotionally?

Do you dislike things that happen to be red? Such as hating the sight of blood, finding tomatoes yucky, or those teeny weenie baby red spiders that send you running from the room! (Is that just me?)

OR

Is red a fond memory for you like that favorite childhood summer dress, your fort made of red sheets, or that amazing shade of red hair you use to have!

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What Does Red Mean To You?

Long story long... Beyond the surface level of beautiful or pretty, what does the color red actually do to you? If it makes you angry or hungry you might want to reconsider this fabulous idea. If it makes you nostalgic or helps you feel sexy, is that a headspace you want to be in right now?

You and I do not do one size fits all. Most color theory explanations are based on the cultural interpretation in general. But what are your own personal cultural and historical associations with any of the colors in the rainbow that you’re considering infusing into your interior environment? Because, you will be spending a lot of time in your interior environment. And if you’re being subconsciously triggered, that is going to ruin your PEACE.

Choosing a color scheme’s main color tends to take people a very long time. Here are some ways to make sure you pick a color that you associate with positive things in your life:

• What color is your favorite ensemble?

• Now, what color is your favorite lounge around the house ensemble?

• What color is your beloved pet?

• What is your favorite brand of whatever on Earth, and what is their brand color?

• Who is your favorite person on Earth, and what is their favorite color? (This only works if you already know their favorite color and associate it with them when you see it)

Take some time to dig deep and think about what a color really means you to based on your experiences with it.

Then and only then, should you cover that wall with the fabulous plum red you've been drooling over.

See you next Sunday, Rosebud.

QuianaRose